Came across an old card from my mom dated 2008 stuffed in amongst the randomness that is my nightstand, and this was one of the poems on it. I've been meaning to share this for over a year now, and especially now, in this season of life, it seems ever and ever more pertinent.
I remember being homesick in college. Now I am 'home-stuck'. I cannot easily help others. I cannot easily phone-a-friend. I cannot easily give of my time, my talents. When I do, it seems everything unravels. This rather depresses me at times. Ah the side effects of motherhood!
And my problem is that when I hear of others burdens and struggles I too often first take it upon myself that I need to help them. I need to say the perfect words to encourage or change them. I need to find time to fix 'it'. How silly! This only adds to my stress level.
When I think of Jesus the night before he died, it's recorded in John that he prayed not only for himself, BUT THEN he prays for his friends, and future believers. Just think, here's a man who knows he's going to suffer more than any human being has ever suffered (starting THAT VERY night!), and he takes time to pray for OTHERS. For you. For me. How self-less is true LOVE.
This is very humbling to me.
So be encouraged, as I am, by this poem. Take to heart that God can do anything, and that our prayers matter to him. In the middle of the night rocking your nightmare-awakened toddler, sitting on the loo, washing dishes, stuck in traffic ( you know, all the times you're supposed to be doing those Kegel exercises) we can be doing a SERVICE to our husband, our kids, our families, our friends and neighbors by praying for them. Whatever the situation may be, it can always be bettered through prayer. And the side effects are peace and joy! How 'bout that! Now if I can just get that into my brain!
Perhaps we do not think enough what an effective service prayer is, especially intercessory prayer (fancy word for praying for others). We do not believe as we should how it might
help those we so fain would serve,
penetrating the hearts we cannot open,
shielding those we cannot guard,
teaching where we cannot speak,
comforting where our words have no power to soothe;
following the steps of our beloved through the toils and perplexities of the day,
lifting off their burdens with an unseen hand at night.
No ministry is so like that of an angel as this- silent, invisible, known but to God.
~ Elizabeth Rundle Charles
What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
`Joseph M. Scriven
Friday, November 8, 2013
Monday, November 4, 2013
First day of preschool! Who's excited?!
Last Monday, at my wit's end for literally the 897th time, I called the preschool across the street as a prayer that somehow it would work out this year to send one or two of these lovely little angels away from me for a few hours a day. 'Yes' we can take them next month. 'Yes' just this year we started a 3 year afternoon class so they could both come in the afternoon! 'Yes' we work with potty-trainees. 'Yes' we'd love to have them. Hung up the phone singing praises!! One week later:
Their 'pack-packs' filled with lunch and to-be projects, off we went today, across the street, up some stairs to what some call preschool, and others, like me, just call scheduled babysitting (but almost 5 year olds wouldn't like that term so we'll just stick to the preschool thing). And the timing is perfect for Kelly to take her naps while they're gone, and mommy has some FREEDOOOOOOOM! Freedom to do chores in peace, freedom to accomplish some fun projects, freedom to.....oh wait, sorry, I lost my train of thought. It's so quiet in here I lost my focus.
Well off to do some attic work...but is it really work if no one's screaming or pooping or making a huge mess??? Is it?
There might be a chance for my sanity to come back after all...TTFN!
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